THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2924, 30 March 1910, Page 32

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

By Senthy.

It has been rumoured that in connection with the reorganisation of the Defence Forces there will be. a general moving round of officers commanding districts, in which case Lieutenant-colonel Smyth would be transferred to Auckland. There is, howvery "little likelihood of such a regrettable change being made, at anyrate,, for some considerable time to : come.- In view of the fact that presently the huge work of dividing up the Dominion, into the proposed areas and enrolling and , organising will be entered upon, it would be most injudicious to remove the officers comniandi ing districts from that territory where their local knowledge will be invaluable to districts of which they may know very little. Whilst the shooting by the Cadets at Pelichet Bay range on Wednesday disclosed some very good marksmanship, there was also revealed by some a sad lack of training which reflected little credit upon those responsible for that department.- Some obviously did not know how to lie, how to hold the rifle, or how to press the trigger A common- fault was the holding of the rifle with,the ieft hand away up at the .trigger guard, with the inevitable result that the rifle was not balanced ' properly Firing* 10 shots at 200yds, two Defence Cadets failed to get one shot on. None of the primary school Cadets did so badly as that, only' one of them failing to get more than on© shot on the target. As indicating the lack of proper training, it may be mentioned that one lad, having fired two shots from his left shoulder, .changed to the right shoulder for the next, and, evidently finding that no more satisfactory, again had recourse to the left shoulder. That an effort is to be made to raise the- Territorial troops to a 6tatc of effi ciency Hgher than prevailed in the Volunteers . is . evidenced from the. following exi tracts from a circular memo, issued by the local office:—.'-' During the coming winter musketry classes for officers and non-com-missioned officers will be held at Dunedin, Invercargill, Oamaru; and Balcmtha. The subjects included will be as (follows :—(l) Car. 3 of arms, (2) the theory\of rifle fire and its practical application. (3) musketry exercises, (4) firing at moving and vanishing objects, (5)-collective.fire, (6). tactical exercises with ball ammunition, (71 fire control and discipline, (8) judging distance, (9) observation of , fire, (10) section leading. Until these aro thoroughly' understood and practised the' attainment of " superiority of fire "is impossible. . Staff sergeant-major instructors will hold musketry classes for non-commissioned officers at," squadron , and ; company headquarters on .the .above lines. Signalling classes for the purpose of training officers and non-commissioned officers as" regimental instructors, and a certain number of privates will also be held at tn© above stations," , . During the winter months individual ana recruit training should be completed to enable full advantage to be taken ot collective training during the camps in tlie summer. The following, instruction can be effectually carried out, in drill .nails :—(a) The training of. officers and non-comrms-officers to instruct practically and bv short lectures; (b) squad drill; (c) musketry exercises; fdl physical training; (e) ; bayonet Hghting: (f) preliminary tmmiog of" a machine gun section, etc. Night operations, including outpoats, marches, attack and defence and entrenching, etc., can be practised on winter evenings. Halfholidays should be utilised for field training by day. , Simple tactical exercises (regimental tours) should be carried out by regimental officers jnder commanding officers. War games for senior officers will be arranged for at tfci übovementmned stations. It is particularly desirocl that, in view of the proposed increase to the force, officers and non-commissioned officers should take special steps to prepare themselves to be able to instruct This can only be accomplished by constant practice. Finally, a more thorough promulgrtion and ■ insistence on tho carrying out of all orders and instructions issued is necessary if anv increased efficiency is to be looked for." The Port Chalmers Navals (No. 2 Comnany, Otago Division) are to be congratulated upon brinaring to Otago the Hudson Cup for shooting with the quick-firing guns. Last year No. 1 Company, Auckland Division (ex-Captain Knyvett's command), secured the tro-nhy. This year, with the standard of Q.-F. shooting much improved, the Port Navals win the cup. The Coast Artillery Cup for 8.-L. shooting goes to the Lyttelton Navals, who, from a position last year so low that they were not classed, have risen to the top of he tree this year. The Dunedin Navals (No. 1 Company, Otago Division) are second in order of merin for the 8.-L shoo* ; ng. whilst No. 3 Company, Auckland Division, which won the Coast Artillery Cud last vear, is not olassed this year, and No. 1 Company of the same division, which won the Hudson Cup last year, is graded as second class. JUNIOR CADETS AND BOY SCOUTS. The new regulations for the organisation and t-rainim f the Junior . Cadets are issued. It i- fiv»v possible within the limits of this column to do more than indicate a few points. The junior Cadets are to be composed of (a) a Cadet branch—battalions, companies, detachments, and Cadet officers' .training units; and (b) a Boy Scouts' branch —battalions, troops, and patrols. A larger corps than a battalion may be organised witli the approval of the Minister. In regard to the formation of units, the head teachers of .all schools shall forthwith send in a list of boys available for training to

the comriiandmant of the Cadets. Where there is how no Cadet unit he shall also "recommend teachers for appointment as officers. Not less than one hour a week shall be set aside for military training at the schools.

On., days that are unsuitable for outdoor work, squads- and companies may be taken back into scnool and instruction given in any of the following subjects:—Lectures on discipline, with examples from history; lecture on Empire; lecture on the history, possessions, and how to fly the Union Jack; a demonstration of aiming at a blackboard, using a sandbag on the table or desk on which to rest the rifle; how to make simple and useful knots; use of maps; making conventional signs; "nethods of ambushing; the prismatic compass, or magnetic compass.

In all cities and towns where there are two or more companies close together, at least two battalion parades shall be held in each year; in other cases as specially authorised. Battalion and company training camps shall not t>e compulsory At company camps training will be on the following syllabus, which is subject to. variation :—Physical training, musketry instruction, company drill, skirmishing exercises designed to develop the powers of observation, judging, distances.. of objects, finding one's way about by day or night, use of the magnetic compass, use of maps, rendering first aid to the-best of any situation that might arise,.erecting tents, signalling, signs, and scouting, etc. ThS musketry course, and annual allowance, of ammunition •hall be in accordance with the target practice regulations. ./-■-', '. » ■ Uniforms an-,1 equipments shall be issued free to all units and corps in lieu of the payment of capitation. Government property is net to. be allowed outside the school except for parades. Units at present in possession of uniforms will continue to use them so long as they are serviceable. The Minister "may, on the recommendation of the commandant of Cadets, sano. tion the formation of a "patrol or troop of scouts in lieu ©f a Cadet unit at any provided that the'unit shall be under the -entire control of the Minister. Units, including their officers; sbalLbe,subject, to the regulations for the junior Cadet branch, "provided' that their training shall be i» accordance with the text fcook, " Scouting for Boys," with the addition of-miniature cartridge shooting where possible. Scoutmasters may be junior. Cadet officers, or they may be persons who, being officers of the Boy Scouts' organisation, may be approved. It may be permissible for a scoutmaster to "remain a member of: the Boy Scout organisation and carry.,on>;the instruction of the boys independently of his duties .as officer attach ?d to the jailor Cadets. a scoutmaster is liable to compulsory service, his work as an. instructor r of the Boy Scouts may be accepted as part of hia military service. Scouts -shall receive the same amount of military training in the Cadet branch as ' s orescribed , for that branch, except in the case ©i: units, at small Boy Scouts are.to.be subject to ihe rules ,of the Cadet branch, when m.camp or on paTade. In camps of training the Scouts shall be billeted together. [Those Scouts at present in possession of uniforms shall continue to wear them at special Scout parades.